Devon County Library Service marks 100 years

Exeter Library is managed by charity Libraries Unlimited

Devon County Library Service has marked its 100th anniversary.

It was launched in July 1924 with the aim of providing a single county-wide service giving all residents free access to books.

Before then, many of Devon's libraries were operated by subscription or aligned to institutions such as the church.

Alex Kittow, chief executive of Libraries Unlimited, the charity that manages 54 libraries in Devon and Torbay, said: "I think libraries really have evolved from quiet places to vibrant community hubs."

Libraries Unlimited was created in 2016

Libraries Unlimited took over Devon County Council’s library services in 2016 and Torbay’s in 2018.

The charity library model established in Devon was promoted around the country through the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

Mr Kittow continued: "The creation of Libraries Unlimited in 2016 was ground-breaking and has been an outstanding success.

"This past year we loaned over 1.5m books, staged nearly 24,000 events and welcomed people into our libraries for 2.3m visits.

"Of course it is a different landscape now to 100 years ago, but we are not just sustaining our service, we are growing."

Mr Kittow pointed towards the rise in eBook downloads - which increased by 6% to more than 253,000 in 2023.

'Even bigger ambitions'

He also said eAudiobook downloads has rise by 28% to 292,000 in the same year.

"This centenary is a fantastic opportunity to reflect on how far we’ve come, and to look towards the future," said the chief executive.

"We are extremely proud of what we have achieved but we have got big ideas and even bigger ambitions.

"We are dedicated to continuing to invest in our service to fulfil our core mission: enriching lives and building communities."